Device for dispensing travelers.



J. S. DRAKE.

DEVIGE FOR DISPENEING TRAVELERS.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 190a.

949,626w v Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

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JAMES S. DRAKE, OF LANCASTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 BAXTER S. MOORE, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING TRAVELERS.

Application filed. April 1,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns S. DRAKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Dispensing Travelers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in devices for'dispensing travelers, and consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the process of spinning cotton, as is well known, travelers are made use of, which travelers after a few days use wear out and have to be replaced. As a rule they are contained in small cups, having an ordinary hinged lid for keeping out the cotton lint. Owing to the shape of the travelers they will hang together even when perfectly clean; and when the spinner attempts to take out a single traveler, a number will hang together forming a chain, which will frequently pull in two and fall to the floor before they can be supported by the other hand.

A great amount of time is lost by the spinner in endeavoring to loosen a single traveler from the entangled mass and frequently when attempting to pick out one, three or four are taken instead, the others are tossed on to the floor resulting in a loss to the mill, it being estimated by practical millmen that four travelers are purchased for every one actually used.

The object of the present device is to provide a dispenser for the travelers, which will deliver one at a time thus doing away with unnecessary waste, and efiecting a considerable saving in time.

Referring to the drawings forming a part hereof-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section; Fig. 3 is a similar view at right angles to Fig. 2; Fig. 4: is a perspective view of the cover; Fig. 5 is a similar view of the upper end of the holder; Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the same; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a traveler; and Fig. 8 is a similar view of the supporting means for the holder.

The present embodiment of the invention comprises a casing consisting of an upper portion 1, substantially rectangular in cross Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

1909. Serial No. 487,136.

section, and a lower portion 2 substantially cylindrical in cross section, the lower portion being provided with opposite perforated ears 3, the upper end of the casing being open, and provided at one side thereof with a lug 4. having an opening therein. The upper portion of the casing is closed by a cover 5 which fits against the front of the casing and is provided with an angular portion 6 for closing the top of the casing. The angular portion has an opening therein registering with the opening of the lug 4L and the openings are adapted to be engaged by a pin 7 for securing the cover in place. The cylindrical portion of the easing is closed by a cap 8, provided at each side with a perforated ear 9, whose opening registers with the opening of an ear 8, the openings being traversed by set screws or other suitable securing means not shown. The lower end of the cover 5 is provided with a tongue 10, which engages a recess in the upper edge of the cap 8 for preventing outward movement of the lower end of the said cover. An angular bracket 11 has one arm secured to the back of the casing by rivets 12, and the other arm is provided with openings 13 for receiving the screws, not shown, whereby it may be secured to a suitable support 14.

The travelers as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 are substantially semi-circular in shape, the diametrical portion being divided as shown at 23 and the holder is shaped to conform with the inner face of the traveler. The holder is formed of sheet material, bent to form a semi-circular portion 24, and a diainetrical flange 25 which only extends about half the distance between the edges of the semi-circular portion, and at the upper end of the said section the flange is continued to form a bracket consisting of a portion 26 perpendicular to the flange, a port-ion 27 parallel therewith, and a thickened portion 28 which is provided with a threaded opening 29 and is adapted to rest against the back of the casing, a set screw 30 passing through the back of the casing and engaging the threaded opening for securing the holder in place. In the cylindrical portion of the casing aroller or wheel 31 is journaled, the roller being provided with trunnions 32 and 33 engaging openings in the back of the casing and in the cap respectively, and the trungagement by a pawl 35'pivoted to the cap as at 36. The trunnion is also provided with a threaded stem 37 upon which is threaded a wheel 38 for convenience in turning the roller. The lower end of the lower section of the holder extends to a point adjacent the circumference of the roller, the distance between the end of the holder and the roller being less than the thickness of a traveler, so that the lowermost traveler on the holder is retained in position by the peripheral surface of the roller. The roller however, is provided with an eccentric portion 39, merging at one end into the peripheral surface of the wheel, and separated therefrom at the other end by a shoulder 40. The depth of the eccentric portion adjacent the shoulder is substantially the same as the thickness of a traveler, so that as the roller is turned in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2 a traveler will drop into the eccentric portion, and be removed from the holder by the shoulder 40 at each complete revolution of the roller. At its lower portion the cylindrical part of the casing is provided with an opening 41 through which the traveler may drop into the hands of the spinner. The opening 42 in the rear wall of the casing which receives the set screw 30 is a slot, so that the holder may be adjusted vertically with respect to the roller. A means is also provided for supplying the travelers in superimposed relation to the holder or magazine, the said means consisting of a rod 16 whose cross section corresponds to the .interior of the traveler, and the free end of the rod is pointed as at 18 for engaging the travelers. A pin 19 extends from the lower end of the rod and is adapted to engage an end opening 20 in the holder, and at each end the rod is provided with a transverse opening in which are pins 21 and 22 for retaining the travelers in place.

In operation, the pin 21 is removed from the end of the rod and a supply of travelers is placed thereon, after which the pin is replaced. The pin of the rod is then engaged with the opening 20 of the holder, and the pin 22 is removed, the travelers being thus permitted to pass down the holder until the lowermost traveler engages the face of the roller. The rod 16 may then be removed, and the device is ready for use. When a traveler is desired, the wheel 38 is partially rotated, and the shoulder 40 engages the lowermost traveler, removes it from the holder and delivers it through the opening 41 into the hand of the spinner. It will be evident from the description that but one traveler may be removed at a time, and that there is no liability of the travelers becoming entangled, since they are arranged in superimposed relation and are retained in such position by the roller. The arrangement of the bracket supporting the holder is such that the travelers may pass freely thereby, and if desired the holder may be made solid as shown in Fig. 5, the holder being provided on its flat side with a perpendicular rib 42, extending far enough to permit the free passage of the traveler, and thence parallel as at 43 with the flat side of the holder to a block 44, provided with a threaded opening 45 for engagement by the set screw 30. The pawl 35 by its engagement with the notch 34 of the trunnion 33 prevents reverse movement of the roller. After once adjusting the position of the holder, it is not necessary to further change the adjustment, since the travelers are supplied thereto by means of the rod 16. The holder 17 may be considered as a magazine, and the rod 16 as a means for supplying the articles thereto.

It will be observed that the roller 31 is of sufiicient width, so that the casing is not absolutely necessary to provide for a proper delivery of the traveler.

I claim:

1. A dispenser for travelers comprising a casing substantially rectangular in cross section and having at its lower end a substantially cylindrical portion, a roller having trunnions journaled in the cylindrical portion, one of the trunnions being extended outside of the casing and provided with a ratchet tooth, a hand wheel on the extended trunnion, a pawl cooperating with the tooth for preventing reverse rotation of the roller, a holder corresponding in cross section to the cross section of the travelers and upon which they are mounted in superimposed relation, the lower end of the holder being spaced apart from the peripheral surface of the roller a distance less than the thickness of a traveler, said roller having a depressed portion merging at one end into the peripheral surface of the roller and separated therefrom at the other end by a shoulder, the depth of such portion being sufiicient to receive a traveler, means for adjustably supporting the rod within the casing, the casing having an opening at its lower end through which the travelers may pass.

2. A dispenser for travelers comprising a casing, a roller having trunnions journaled in the casing, one of the trunnions being extended outside of the casing and provided with a ratchet tooth, a hand wheel on the extended trunnion, a pawl cooperating with the tooth for preventing reverse rotation of the roller, a holder corresponding in cross section to the cross section of the travelers, and upon which they are mounted in superimposed relation, the lower end of the holder being spaced apart from the peripheral surface of the roller a distance less than the thickness of a traveler, said roller having a depressed portion merging at one end into the peripheral surface of the roller and sep- 4. In a device of the class described, a

holder for the travelers formed of sheet material bent to fit the inner surface of the 15 traveler, and having at the center of the fiat side thereof a longitudinal rib.

5. In a device of the class described, a holder for the traveler composed of sheet material bent to form a curved face and a 20 fiat face whose free edge is spaced apart from the adjacent edge of the curved face and provided with a longitudinal rib.

JAMES S. DRAKE.

Vitnesses C. B. SKIPPER, H. A. HORTON. 

